With Liberty and Justice for All

There are approximately 6.5 Billion people in the world

27 Million of them are slaves.

     80% of these are women.

     50% are under the age of 16.

Whether it is by kidnapping, selling children to pay off family debts, or falling for false job promises—nearly 1 million people every year are sold into slavery. This is not just happening in far off countries. This could be down the street from you.

“It happens here,” Theresa Flores says, “to white, middle-class teens who live in the suburbs. It’s easy to think that because you live in a nice neighborhood, you’re safe. Well, you’re not. We’ve let our guard down.”

Theresa was just 15 years old when she was blackmailed into the sexual slave trade in my own state of Michigan. The men threatened that they would harm her family. Her parents had no idea that every night she was picked up and forced into this life.

In other countries, parents do know, but have debts that cannot be paid. Selling a child to heavy labour or into sexual slavery is their only way to repay it.

In India, girls from the lower castes are taken as soon as they have their first period. In some places, they are taken as young as 9 or 10 years old.

In Afghanistan, powerful men openly have Bacha Bazis. This "is a practice recognized as sexual slavery and child prostitution^[1] in which prepubescent children and adolescents are sold to wealthy or powerful men for entertainment and sexual activities. This business thrives in northern Afghanistan, where many men keep them as status symbols."

Lest men get pictured as the brutes, a representative from Women at Risk International said it is not just men pimping women. Many times women oversee the enslaving other women. No one can point the finger at one gender.

I hope this makes you mad. It should!

God has told His people to be the agents to extend mercy to those in need.

He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does Yahweh require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

The authors of the Psalms were less naive than we are today. They knew the injustices around them. They knew the children offered up to Molech. They heard of the young girls and boys raped in temple prostitution.

Arise, Yahweh! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. (Psalm 10:12)

Over and over in the Pentateuch and through the prophets, God tells His people to watch out for the helpless, to treat the refugees and foreigners with dignity and justice, to speak out for those unable to speak for themselves.

It is through us that God wants to work. We are His hands and feet in the world. We are the face of Christ to the dying. We must reach out with His love and show mercy. We will be held accountable for what we did with what we knew.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

   for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly;

   defend the rights of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:8-9)

The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. (Proverbs 29:7)

Why them and not us? We have a responsibility for the very reason that we are not the oppressed, so we have a platform from which to help those who are. You and I have been spared for a reason.

What can we do?

First, pray.

Boaz Johnson, professor from North Park University in Chicago, explained at a recent conference that prayer is our first step and our most powerful weapon. If you want to do something without praying, this urge may originate from pride. Instead, begin by seeking God on behalf of the slaves, pleading with Him to save them, to send people to physically rescue them, to send people to share the Good News that will set their souls free, and to send people to mentor and love them as their wounds begin to heal.

At the same conference, Andrew Kooman (see below for information) reminded us that we need to keep focusing on Jesus or we will act out of hatred or just out of activism. We need to go back to the Source of love "to act justly" and righteously. Even the oppressors need God's saving grace.

Second, do what God shows you to do to help.

Why her and not you? Why him and not you? If it was your child, would you help? Don't wait till it is!

Get mad and do something! Know what's going on and pray!

People in Action:

International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local governments to ensure victim rescue, to prosecute perpetrators and to strengthen the community and civic factors that promote functioning public justice systems.

Born to Fly International "does three great things: It shows our kids a wider world, raises support for kids who have too little, and gives the first contact for our kids to touch those who have so little.” ~Dr. Clive Calver, president, World Relief

Women at Risk International unites and educates women to create circles of protection and hope around women at risk through culturally sensitive, value-added intervention projects.
 

Andrew Kooman is a gifted writer and a compassionate faith-in-action Christian. Using the gifts God has given him, Andrew educates others on the truth of trafficking and goes to other countries to help those in need. His emphasis on re-focusing on Jesus and obeying gives Andrew a activism stemming from love.